Leonardo DiCaprio Circling Role In New Guillermo Del Toro Movie

Leonardo DiCaprio Circling Role In New Guillermo Del Toro Movie

Leonardo DiCaprio is one of those actors who will get the chance to work with just about all of the greatest filmmakers of our time. The Oscar-winner has collaborated with Christopher Nolan, Alejandro Iñárritu, Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, Ridley Scott, Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, the list goes on. And the list might be getting longer, because the actor is reportedly in talks to star in Guillermo del Toro’s next project, titled Nightmare Alley.

The filmmaker, best known for stylized films such as Pan’s Labyrinth and Crimson Peak, has been taking a year off from directing, but he's set to make a strong return with a coming adaptation of thriller Nightmare Alley, based on the ‘40s noir by William Lindsay Gresham. Leonardo DiCaprio would star as conman Stanton “Stan” Carlisle, who pairs up with a female psychologist to swindle people into giving them their riches.

Guillermo del Toro has penned the script with Kim Morgan, and he will produce the film with frequent collaborator J. Miles Dale for Fox Searchlight, according to Deadline. The novel was previously adapted into a movie in 1947 starring Tyrone Power, but the upcoming Nightmare Alley is said to be drawing more from the source material than serving as a remake to the previous film.

Nightmare Alley is scheduled to begin shooting in the fall, amongst del Toro’s other high-profile project, a new Pinocchio movie for Netflix. The streaming service is backing the project for the writer/director, which will be a new take on the fairytale that is set behind fascist Italy. Disney was previously to add the tale to its live-action slate starring Tom Hanks as Geppetto, but it has since reportedly been cancelled, maybe due to competition with del Toro’s vision.

Guillermo del Toro was recently recognized with a Best Picture win for his 2017 girl meets fish romance The Shape of Water. He has since been producing his upcoming horror film Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark and Antlers.

Leonardo DiCaprio is infamously choosy about what roles he signs on for. His last role was all the way back in 2015 for The Revenant. The actor will soon return to the big screen for Quentin Tarantino’s highly-anticipated next film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood as a ‘60s television actor named Rick Dalton. He will also team back up with Martin Scorsese for an adaptation of Killers of the Flower Moon and potentially for a Theodore Roosevelt biopic.

If the actor joins Nightmare Alley, it will certainly be the highest-profile collaboration Guillermo del Toro has opted for, since the director has usually hired lesser-known actors in his prior films. It’s an exciting project to look forward to, especially the idea of DiCaprio and del Toro taking on the noir genre together.

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Zoe Saldana Recalls Anton Yelchin Being ‘Nervous’ To Do Star Trek Justice

Zoe Saldana Recalls Anton Yelchin Being ‘Nervous’ To Do Star Trek Justice

A decade ago this week, Star Trek brought the legendary sci-fi franchise that Gene Roddenberry created for audiences in the ‘60s into a more modern context. And the cast and crew involved knew just how daunting a task that was, especially the actor playing the young version of Ensign Pavel Chekov, the late Anton Yelchin.

Anton Yelchin’s thoughts were conveyed by fellow Star Trek co-star Zoe Saldana in a new documentary entitled Love, Antonsha, which reflects on the untimely passing of Yelchin, and the legacy his brief, but luminous career has left behind. Saldana recalled the young man’s bout of nerves as follows:

He was so aware about the importance of Star Trek and the message that Star Trek had. He understood why it managed to live for such a long time, and he was nervous about being a part of it and giving it that justice.

When the character of Pavel Chekov was initially created, it was in the name of the brand of sci-fi optimism that Gene Roddenberry and his Star Trek brand were always meant to uphold. So obviously, rebooting such a staple of pop culture in the present day is a task that has to be handled very carefully.

This was especially true with Chekov, a Russian member of the multi-ethnicity crew of the USS Enterprise that signaled not only would the Cold War raging in reality eventually end, but that Russia would have a place on the greater world stage in the future. While that prophecy would be fulfilled, Anton Yelchin obviously still felt the weight of keeping this character true to his roots when making Star Trek with J.J. Abrams.

Anton Yelchin’s fears about doing justice to Ensign Chekov is just one of the many stories populating Love Antonsha, which the projects director, Garret Price, apparently didn’t have a hard time gathering. While talking to EW about the projects’ status, as well as sharing the clip of Zoe Saldana recounting her co-star with this beautiful story, Price mentioned that about 60 different A-listers had contributed in some way or another to this collection of memories. And the best part was they didn’t need to be convinced all that hard to say yes.

It’s not difficult to see why Anton Yelchin is so fondly remembered, and that extends even to the Star Trek franchise itself. While he was able to make the first three films in the modern reboot series, there’s still a bit of a discussion as to how his role will be filled, should Star Trek 4 move forward.

A fourth film is a rather questionable prospect at this time, but should any movement be made, it’s safe to assume that J.J. Abrams’ previous remarks about how both Anton Yelchin and Chekov are irreplaceable in the Star Trek universe will inform the decision that pertains to the helm of the Enterprise in its continuing mission.

Love Antonsha will be released into theaters at some point this summer. As soon as we have more information as to when to expect that film, we’ll report back, as well as update our 2019 release schedule accordingly.

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Tony Todd Will Make It Into The Candyman Reboot After All

Tony Todd Will Make It Into The Candyman Reboot After All

There’s a swarm of horror remakes on the way, and Get Out and Us filmmaker Jordan Peele has summoned Candyman to be among them. The “spiritual sequel” to the 1992 classic has been in development for months ahead of its 2020 release date. Now, it looks like the film has eyed the actor at the center of the original franchise: Tony Todd.

While Tony Todd was at Nickel City Con in New York, he disclosed some exciting details about his role in the upcoming film with these words:

Out of the blue I got a phone call from Jordan Peele. We’re still waiting for the contract, but the way he explained it to me was that it’s gonna be applause-worthy moments. That’s his words. No matter what happens with that, it’s gonna just put renewed attention on the original.

This is exciting!! Almost 30 years after first appearing as Candyman in the ‘90s horror film, Tony Todd will in fact be returning to the franchise this time under Jordan Peele’s vision. In addition to Peele being a producer and co-writer on the film, Little Woods’ Nia DaCosta is tapped to direct and Aquaman’s Black Manta, Yahya Abdul Mateen II, has been cast in the lead role.

Tony Todd’s words to Sofa King Cool Magazine emphasize “applause-worthy moments,” which could be taken many ways, but my best guess is he’ll have a nostalgic part in the movie. Considering Jordan Peele’s previous work with the genre, he likes to offer original horror entries.

Additionally, the filmmaker is big on fan service, often hiding in easter eggs to other classics and developing stories to get people talking. For those who loved the original, it’s a natural choice for Peele to bring in Tony Todd back.

Candyman is a film that Jordan Peele attributes as an influence to his love of horror and his own filmmaking, and the movie certainly has components that fit right into his wheelhouse as well. The movie follows Helen Lyle, a grad student who is researching a myth of the Candyman when she accidentally summons him by saying his name into a mirror five times.

Tony Todd plays the movie’s villain, who was previously the son of a slave in love with a white woman. His lover’s father set a lynch mob upon him who brutally cut off his hand, replaced it with a hook and smeared honey on him, attracting hundreds of bees who sting him to death. Once Helen summons him, he haunts the Cabrini-Green housing project in Chicago.

The upcoming film will be set in the same neighborhood, but it has since become gentrified. Tony Todd has previously showed his support for Peele being a part of the remake, expressing how he feels he has the intelligence to tell the story dripping with racial commentary. The actor is also excited to see the original get additional attention as the new film sparks interest when it hits theaters on June 12, 2020.

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6 Great Emma Watson Movies That Prove She's So Much More Than Hermione Granger

6 Great Emma Watson Movies That Prove She's So Much More Than Hermione Granger

It's been a long time since the star children of Harry Potter played their magical characters, and the actors have done what they can to convince audiences they're more than the heroes of the magical world. Daniel Radcliffe has taken on a series of bizarre roles, Rupert Grint has made the jump to television, and Emma Watson has starred in a bunch of different movies that feature different characters with totally different attributes.

Sure, she may not have portrayed a corpse Swiss army knife, but Emma Watson's movies since Harry Potter have shown there's so much more to her acting ability than what she did as Hermione Granger. For those who may be unaware, or those who recognize this and just need more chances to appreciate that, here are the movies that really drive that point home.

The Perks Of Being A Wallflower

Emma Watson isn't the main star in The Perks Of Being A Wallflower, but she definitely stands out in her co-starring role in the coming-of-age story. Her portrayal of Sam is a perfect compliment to Logan Lerman's Charlie, who has a lot on his plate he can't reconcile. Sam doesn't always understand the magnitude of that, but it all works out for the two of them in the end.

Of all the Emma Watson movies, The Perks Of Being A Wallflower is a great show of her ability to play a teen that is a vast departure from anything Hermione Granger. She's not neurotic, meddlesome, or even the most level-headed character. For those who think Watson doesn't have more to offer the world outside of Harry Potter, this is the movie that will shut most critics up. The movie is definitely different than the book, but still very good.

This Is The End

Emma Watson movies tend to have a serious tone, and one won't be finding a lot of intentional comedy in her works. This Is The End is the exception to this rule, as Watson joins an ensemble cast of actors playing fictitious representations of themselves in an apocalyptic setting. Emma Watson doesn't have as much screen-time as others in the cast, but it's safe to say her scene is one of the movie's more memorable moments.

Part of that is due to the aggression in Emma Watson's This Is The End scene, in which she misunderstands a conversation between the main cast of men. It leads to Watson taking some heavy swings with a fire ax, and uttering a litany of swears one doesn't typically hear the actress say in her movies. It's a nice change of pace, and offers evidence that comedy is something she should pursue more often.

Noah

Darren Aronofsky's Noah is one of the more controversial Emma Watson movies on this list, as the adaptation of the biblical epic was banned in some countries and was considered somewhat polarizing in certain religious circles. For all complaints that were lodged against the movie, it still skews fresh by Rotten Tomatoes' aggregate ranking systems, and is lauded for the performances by its all-star cast that included Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, and Anthony Hopkins in addition to Watson.

Emma Watson plays Ila, who is Noah's daughter-in-law and the wife of his son Shem. She's still in the role of a young adult, but obviously the biblical context makes her more of an adult in many regards. The crowning moment in this Emma Watson movie comes when Ila begs Noah not to sacrifice her children. The raw emotion of Watson and her pleading that they at least die peacefully is a powerful moment, and certainly one of the highlights in the film.

Beauty And The Beast

With The Lion King and Aladdin premiering in 2019, no doubt the year will be a reckoning for Disney's live-action adaptations for animated classics. One of these movies with the largest box office total so far is Emma Watson's Beauty And The Beast, a movie that has some detractors, although there are more critics who are positive on the film than negative.

One thing viewers may notice about Emma Watson movies is that, even when they aren't universally acclaimed, few ever point a finger at her performance. This is the case with Beauty And The Beast, as many enjoyed her portrayal of Belle and instead pointed toward some of the other casting and creative decisions made by the film. For those strictly watching for a great Emma Watson performance, this movie gives us a view into a world where Emma Watson is a princess, thus further diversifying her Hollywood resume.

The Circle

One of the most recent entries on this list is The Circle, an Emma Watson movie that place her character in the world of tech. The Circle explores the increasingly accessibility of technology, and the consequences of using said innovative tech in our everyday lives. The subject matter and insane cast which includes Tom Hanks, John Boyega, Karen Gillan and many others had a real chance to tell a poignant tale about technology, and stun audiences for years to come.

The Circle was viewed as a disappointment from critics, who felt the movie didn't do enough to differentiate itself from other popular tech-based movies and shows of the era, but it still highlights Emma Watson in a totally different role than we've seen her play in the past. Perhaps one day she can tackle another modern-day thriller that gets better reviews.

The Bling Ring

By far one of the most obscure projects in this lineup, The Bling Ring is an Emma Watson movie that film buffs should check out. Watson teamed up with director Sofia Coppola in a movie based on a criminal group the film gets its name from. Watson stars alongside others as part of a group of teens obsessed with fame and yearning for the finer things in life. To achieve this, they attend the parties of celebrities and rob their homes.

The movie didn't exactly stun at the box office, yet it's cool to see Watson play a narcissistic character largely unconcerned with the crimes she's committed or any consequences she may face for them. For those looking for an Emma Watson movie where she portrays a character who is the exact opposite of Hermione Granger, this is it.

Emma Watson fans are encouraged to share their favorite non-Harry Potter roles by the actress, and make a case for why their selection is mandatory viewing. Be sure to stick with CinemaBlend in the meantime for updates on all things related to movies, television, and pop culture.

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Marvel Has Given The First Three Phases Of The MCU An Epic Name

Marvel Has Given The First Three Phases Of The MCU An Epic Name

In just over a month’s time, the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase 3 will come to an end in Avengers: Endgame. More than closing out Phase 3 though, Endgame also puts a cap on the first eleven years of the MCU, a journey that consists of three Phases and twenty-one films. We’ve been told that Avengers: Endgame represents a culmination; the end of the book and narrative that began with Iron Man. Now, as we race towards its climactic conclusion, we finally know what it’s called. And it is epic.

According to Empire Magazine, Kevin Feige has revealed that the first three phases of the MCU are called The Infinity Saga.

Yup, that is an appropriately epic and fitting name for the 21-film journey we have been on since 2008. It’s a super cool name that is going to look awesome emblazoned on a massive and expensive Blu-ray box set one day. Considering that we didn’t even know that these first three phases would have a specific name (think of all the speculation we missed out on!) beyond just Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, it is a pleasant surprise as well.

Marvel has clearly taken a page out of corporate brother Lucasfilm’s book with this name. Like ‘The Skywalker Saga’, the word ‘saga’ just conveys an extra level of grandiosity and has an epic quality to it, befitting a heroic tale, vast in scope and long in telling. Series or chronicle doesn’t have quite the same ring to it. The only thing that comes close is ‘cycle’ which is what George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novel series is often referred to as.

Sometimes the most obvious answers are the right ones and The Infinity Saga frankly sounds like the most obvious and appropriate name for the Marvel Cinematic Universe films to date.

The Tesseract, which contained the Space Stone, was introduced all the way back in Phase 1 in Captain America: The First Avenger and the Infinity Gauntlet (albeit a replica) first appeared in Thor. Thanos first appeared in the end-credits scene of The Avengers and he and the Infinity Stones have acted like a specter hanging over everything and propelling the plot ever since. That the Infinity Saga built to the Avengers: Infinity War shows that this name is the right one.

I’m honestly not sure what the MCU’s first three Phases would be called other than The Infinity Saga. The Stan Lee Saga would honor the man who Marvel owes so much to and left such a legacy in the films, but it wouldn’t speak to the story. The only other choice would have been The Avengers Saga, but we may get more Avengers movies after Endgame, so that wouldn’t hold as much weight.

There are more stories yet to come in the MCU, and Endgame is a demarcation line between what came before and what comes after. What’s interesting about finding out this name is that if The Infinity Saga is book 1 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, what’s book 2?

We know so little about Phase 4 (if it’s even called that) that it’s difficult to make an educated guess at this point. The New Avengers Saga? The Secret Invasion Saga? The Galactus Saga? Or, wishful thinking here as this may be more book 3 material but The Mutant Saga? We probably won’t know for some time, maybe in another 21 films, but it’s fun to think about.

Avengers: Endgame concludes The Infinity Saga on April 26. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all of this year’s biggest movies.

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Jurassic Park’s Jeff Goldblum Had The Best Response To Real Life Scientists Trying To Create Dinosaurs

Jurassic Park’s Jeff Goldblum Had The Best Response To Real Life Scientists Trying To Create Dinosaurs

When Jurassic Park was first written and then transformed into a blockbuster movie, the idea of recreating dinosaurs was pure science fiction. However, so often the only thing keeping science fiction from becoming reality is time, and now it appears that researchers think that bringing dinosaurs back from extinction is only a matter of time. If this strikes you as a supremely bad idea, because you've seen how this movie ends, you're not the only one. Jeff Goldblum sounded off on the news as well, as only he could...

Jeff Goldblum channels his character from Jurassic Park, Ian Malcolm, and quotes himself in reference to whether or not bringing dinosaurs back is a good idea. As every Jurassic Park movie showed us, it was all a very bad idea.

And yet, it seems that scientists are trying to do exactly that. To be fair, it's not all exactly like Jurassic Park. It seems that due to the degradation that happens to DNA over time, actually finding actual dinosaur DNA would never actually work. Instead, it seems that the idea currently being worked on is taking the relationship between dinosaurs and modern birds and using that as the gateway to bring them back. The feeling is that it's possible to take a chicken's DNA and modify it in such a way that you could turn it into a small dino-chicken.

I don't see that as the plot of a future Jurassic Park sequel, but it is, without question, the the premise of a low budget knockoff where a flock of genetically modified chickens destroy a small Midwestern town.

In the end, this wouldn't recreate any species of dinosaur that ever existed, but I suppose it would give scientists an opportunity to study the closest possible thing. At the same time, one has to wonder what this does to the "chickensoras" which is seriously what they're actually calling it. Isn't it cruel and unusual to turn a chicken into something like that?

If we are really only five years away from a creating a version of a dinosaur, that is surely impressive, but Jeff Goldblum's comments do come ringing back. Just because science is capable of doing that, is that really something that science should be doing? It's not really clear exactly what the point actually is. There's only so much you'll be able to learn about actual dinosaurs by creating this artificial one. It seems like most of the important stuff would still be out of reach.

Still, we'll want to keep our eyes on this. If we're really only five years away, then somewhere between now and 2024 we could be looking at our own Jurassic Park. Even if it turns out to be little more than a petting zoo.

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Kingsman 3 Will Be The Final ‘Chapter’ Of Eggsy And Harry’s Story

Kingsman 3 Will Be The Final ‘Chapter’ Of Eggsy And Harry’s Story

When an upcoming Kingsman film appeared on the release board for late 2019, it was an exciting prospect to catch back up with Taron Egerton’s Eggsy and Colin Firth’s Harry Hart after 2017’s Kingsman: The Golden Circle. However, it was later confirmed that the film would be a prequel lead by an entirely new cast. So, will the spy team we’ve grown to love ever come back? Check out this update from writer/director Matthew Vaughn about Kingsman 3:

We've got to finish off the Eggsy and Harry relationship. The final chapter of their relationship needs to be told, which we've got ready to do, and I'm hoping to shoot that later this year or the beginning of next year. But this Kingsman (prequel) has been pushed back to February 14th for coming out, and so, yeah, as soon as that's done, we're looking forward to… It's funny. As Taron was saying, he's looking forward to becoming Eggsy again, because emotionally it's a lot less draining.

Manners maketh man, and Matthew Vaughn is doing right by keeping fans in the loop with these words. As the filmmaker told Digital Spy, Kingsman 3 is in the works in addition to the prequel. The upcoming origin story to be titled Kingsman: The Great Game is being prioritized though, as it has a February 14, 2020 release date to make. Once the project, also written and directed by Vaughn, is complete, he plans to move over to the Kingsman trilogy closer right away.

Since The Golden Circle, Matthew Vaughn and Taron Egerton have collaborated again on the Elton John musical biopic Rocketman. Vaughn is a producer on the flick starring Egerton as the music icon. The connection between the back-to-back projects run even deeper, since Elton John himself had a memorable cameo in the spy sequel.

A ton of preparation went into Taron Egerton’s Elton John role, as he had to sing, dance and convincingly portray the musician, sometimes with the man himself in front of him. It’s been an emotional yet rewarding experience for the actor to star in Rocketman, but it has made him even more excited to return to his more familiar role as Eggsy and conclude the story that launched his career back in 2014.

Since The Great Game takes place during World War I (approximately 100 years before Eggsy began his life as a spy), Taron Egerton will understandably not be in the film. However, the movie has rounded out a cast full of impressive talent including Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Matthew Goode, Gemma Arterton, Charles Dance, Daniel Brühl, Ralph Fiennes, Djimon Hounsou, Rhys Ifans and Stanley Tucci. Not much else is known about the Kingsman prequel, but it will reportedly serve as an origin story for the spy service.

Fans can now also look forward to some closure concerning Eggsy and Harry’s story arcs established with the Kingsman movies, though we’ll have to wait over a year (at least) before we see Colin Firth and Egerton return to these roles. In the meantime, you can catch Egerton in Rocketman this Friday, May 31.

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